Villanova Basketball: Wildcats sweep through Big 5 opponents

Josh Hart and Villanova basketball ran Temple out of the Pavilion on Tuesday night.

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After knocking off Notre Dame in an NCAA Tournament-like atmosphere on Saturday at the Prudential Center, the Villanova Wildcats couldn’t get complacent against a stingy Big 5 opponent in Temple.

While the Wildcats only scored 29 points in the first half, Villanova put their foot on the gas in the second, crushing the Owls, 78-57, at The Pavilion.

Nova swept through their four Big 5 opponents, Penn, St. Joe’s, La Salle and Temple, winning all four games by double digits. In fact, this group of seniors didn’t lose a single game versus a Big 5 opponent in their four year career, making them the first class to do so in the history of Villanova basketball.

Josh Hart had another terrific outing as he scored 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting, dished out three assists and snagged three steals.

Jalen Brunson (13 points and six assists) and Kris Jenkins (12 points and six rebounds) also chipped in on the offensive end, while Fordham transfer Eric Paschall continued his excellent play as of late. Paschall, who is averaging 10 points and 4.5 boards in the last two games, dropped 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes off the pine.

The Wildcats only went seven deep due to the absence of Phil Booth (he’s missed the last eight games with a knee injury), but they overwhelmed Temple with their defense and balance.

Fran Dunphy’s team only put up 16 points in the first half and turned the ball over 18 times for the game. Nova also limited the Owls to 37 percent shooting overall, 36 percent from beyond the arc and 10 assists.

They also made life as difficult as possible against Temple’s leading scorer and top player Obi Enechionyia. Villanova contested every shot and forced Enechionyia into taking tough long range jumpers every time he touched the basketball.

On offense, the Wildcats were tremendous in terms of moving the basketball. They had 19 assists on 25 field goals and Brunson did a solid job running the offense smoothly (as he normally does).

The game broke open when Hart got steaming hot from the field. He scored 11 straight Villanova points, including three 3-pointers. Hart was just 3-of-8 from downtown on Tuesday, but he has hit his open looks much more efficiently in 2016-17. That not only opens the floor for the rest of the Wildcats, but makes Hart virtually impossible to stop.

He is already an excellent slasher, can make plays in the mid-range and can finish through contact. Add in his consistent jump shot, and you can see why Hart is the front runner for Player of the Year at this point.

Villanova is clearly the best team in the country through one month of basketball. With one game against American left on their non-conference slate, the Wildcats will likely enter Big East play with an undefeated record and the number one next to their name.

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